Cengiz Tekin (1977, Diyarbakır) creates works across a wide range of mediums, from photography and video to sculpture and painting, addressing the political, social, and ecological contradictions of individuals and geographies with a multi-layered narrative. He explores universal themes such as tradition, family, housing, and refuge, blurring the boundaries between reality and fiction, deepening the exploration with illusion, humor, and irony.
 

The artist’s works make visible the crises hidden within the ordinariness of daily life while questioning the intersection of ecological issues with authoritarian structures. Through play and conflicting aesthetics, Tekin challenges political representations, inviting the viewer to confront the complex crises of today. At the core of his artistic practice is the desire to create an interdisciplinary discussion space woven with illusion and play; this space reveals contradictions and tensions rather than harmony.
 

Tekin’s art not only offers a visual experience but also calls for an inquiry into the boundaries of memory, the conflicts buried within societal structures, and the individual’s position within these structures. 


His most recent solo and group exhibitions include 2nd Türkiye Textile Biennial (Antalya, Turkey, 2025), Waves Don’t Draw Maps (Zilberman İstanbul, Turkey, 2024), Fellow Travellers, (ZKM - Zentrum für Kunst und Medien Karlsruhe, Almanya, 2024), States of Earth (Yapı Kredi Kültür Sanat, İstanbul, Turkey, 2024), 1st Commagene Biennial (Adıyaman, Turkey, 2023), Locus Solus (Arter, Istanbul, 2022); 6th Ural Biennial, Thinking Hands Touching Each Other (Yekaterinburg, 2020); Up in Arms (Kunstraum Kreuzberg/Bethanien, Berlin, 2019); A Pillar of Smoke at Turkey’s Contemporary Scene (Arles Photography Festival, Arles, 2018), How Will The Weather Be Tomorrow? Between Bridges (Berlin, 2017); Just Before Paradise (PİLOT Galeri, Istanbul, 2016); Istanbul: Passion, Joy, Fury (MAXXI, Rome, 2015); Beautiful Game (Ljubljana City Art Gallery, Ljubljana, 2012); and Free Kick (9th Istanbul Biennial, Istanbul, 2005), among others. Cengiz Tekin, who lives and works in Diyarbakır, is the co-founding manager of the Loading Art Space, which has been operating since 2017.